1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mobile devices having phoning capabilities, and more particularly to mobile-device-implemented systems and methods for reducing carrier-based voicemail-related demands on carrier resources.
2. Background and Related Art
There are a variety of mobile devices having phoning capabilities in use today, including but not necessarily limited to smart phones, some tablet computers, and standard cell phones. While the capabilities of such devices have been growing over time, such devices continue to be limited in certain regards, especially in the ways in which such devices are able to handle incoming calls.
Traditional mobile carrier voicemail systems are laden with processes that result in inefficient use of carrier resources. Carrier voicemail systems are centralized and a result of centralization is that delivery of voicemails to users requires the use of additional carrier resources in the stages of either providing access to the stored voicemails on the carrier system or of providing shipping of voicemails to the end users. Furthermore, traditional carrier voicemail systems are limited in that they are forced-engagement systems that are engaged by default to prevent ongoing ring situations that could deplete mobile phone batteries or cause other problems in the event of an unanswered incoming call.
Traditional mobile carrier voicemail systems are accordingly tasked with handling many events and processes as a result of the centralized system and forced engagement. The carrier systems are first engaged and resources used when the voicemail is received from the incoming call. The carrier systems are further engaged and resources used with respect to storing of received voicemails. The carrier systems are further engaged and resources used when the recipient attempts to retrieve the received voicemail. In the past, when the carriers' customers had limited calling plans, at least calls to the systems to retrieve voicemails resulted in use of the customers' limited minute resources. Today, many customers have unlimited calling plans, so mobile carriers are left with the burden of paying for all airtime used by customers to access the centralized voicemail systems.
FIG. 1 illustrates a screen shot showing the limited options provided by traditional mobile devices upon receipt of an incoming call. Upon receipt of the incoming call, the user of the mobile device is forced to select between taking the call (whereupon the call is connected at the mobile device), rejecting the call without sending a text message (whereupon forced engagement with the mobile carrier centralized voicemail system occurs, and a maker of the incoming call can leave a message with the centralized system), or rejecting the call and sending the caller a text message (whereupon forced engagement also occurs, though the user of the device is also provided with an option to send the caller a text message, such as explaining a reason for current availability). Accordingly, in traditional environments, the only options for management of an incoming call at a mobile device are to answer the call or to force engagement with the mobile carrier centralized voicemail system.